Is Your Glue Misbehaving?

December 2, 2021

applying adhesive

Uh-oh! You have production timelines to meet and you’ve found yourself in a sticky situation. Now what? Chicago Glue and Machine has over 200 combined years of experience when it comes to adhesives, and we’ve encountered just about every issue/problem that exists. Our team loves solving glue-mergencies of all kinds to ensure that our customers’ operations are running efficiently.

Automatically applying adhesive is an efficient way to apply glue during the manufacturing process, but what happens when something goes wrong? There are four primary factors that contribute to the timing of adhesive being dispensed. If you are experiencing adhesive pattern problems, check the following:

1. The Applicator. One reason your adhesive pattern may be off-kilter is the applicator. Your module could be failing and not opening or closing fast enough, or there could be a Solenoid failure in which air would not be shifting fast enough.

2. The Sensor. Another cause of timing mishaps could be caused by the sensor. This part of the equipment must identify the piece below to trigger the applicator. When your sensor is failing, this leads to intermittent detection of pieces, causing the applicator to fire less frequently.

3. The Pattern Controller. The pattern controller takes an “all or nothing” approach to adhesive dispensing. If any component of the controller is failing, it could be affecting both incoming and outgoing signals that are required to make various pieces of the system function properly.

4. The Encoder/Speed Belt. The encoder and speed belt contribute to the timing of your adhesive application procedure. If your pattern controller is distance-based, the encoder could be providing the wrong measurements, leading to the applicator failing to apply adhesive at the proper time increments. If your controller is time-based, take care when changing the speed of your belt or other equipment. This may alter the timing of the glue being applied to each piece. If your encoder is a wheel on a belt, the wheel could be slipping from time to time, providing the wrong measurements.

Chicago Glue & Machine is always willing to help with your gluing problems or any other glue-mergencies! Our team of experts is available 24/7/365 to provide service whenever you need us.